Nigerian Bush Refineries 101
“The grave phenomenon of oil theft
and its global support system represents another face of terrorism
counteracting our efforts at sustaining the trajectory of our high-growth
economy, the stability of our society, and the enhancement and wellbeing of our
people” Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke
The illegal oil industry in Nigeria
is a direct result of years of corporate irresponsibility. For decades large
multinational oil companies operated in Nigeria with little regard for the
environment, life, and property of the communities. After years of government
neglect, population growth, and underdevelopment the locals started to steal
the oil from the pipelines and production facilities of the companies.
In recent, years the illegal oil
industry has become much more complex and sophisticated. There are jobs
available in extraction (stealing oil from companies), transportation
(navigating boats and barges loaded with stolen crude oil), and refining
(heating crude oil into fuel products). The business is supported by bribes
paid to government officials, police, and private security forces. The economic
impact of the business is miniscule when weighed against the damage done to the
environment. All parts of this particular industry are extremely toxic.
“There
was plenty of gasoline, because the Biafrans had built cunning refineries in
the bush.”[1]
The modern illegal oil industry can
trace its origins to the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970). Unable to access fuel
from global markets the Biafran Research and Production units (RAP) developed a
method to refine crude oil into fuel. The RAP unit essentially enhanced an
already common refining technique used by car owners in Biafra. The technique
of fuel production by car owners was a backyard innovation that involved few
drums and water to cool the fuel.[2]
(Figure 1)
In order to meet the large scale
fuel needs of military operations, civilian transport, and industry the RAP
unit developed “bush refineries.” The Biafran bush refineries were larger,
slightly more sophisticated versions of the commonplace backyard refineries. The
RAP unit tweaked the current methods and were able to produce higher quality
kerosene, petrol, and diesel in the bush refineries.
Refining began by filling the clay
covered 44-gallon drum with viscose crude oil. A large fire was set under the
drum standing on a high kiln while the control taps or product exit taps are locked.
Coal was used to fuel the fire until the Nigerian Federal army took over the
Udi coal fields in Enugu. With the loss of Enugu and its coal supplies the RAP
units used high quality hardwood to feed the refining fires. In order to keep
the supply of wood coming at a steady rate the refineries were set up deep into
the canopies of jungle trees.
By carefully heating the crude oil
the refineries were able to produce a petrol product known as “Super” at 180C,
kerosene at 180C-190C, diesel at 190C-210C and lubrication oil at a temperature
above 210C.[3] These
basic refining techniques were resurrected and modernized by militant groups in
the early 2000s, providing fuel and cash to support their operations.[4]
Figure 1
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